Marvel Studios Just Nerfed Galactus’ Greatest Power

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In the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s debut of Galactus in “Fantastic Four: First Steps”, his cosmic abilities have been toned down. This iconic comic book menace, who first graced our screens in a more recognizable form with the launch of “First Steps,” was previously adapted poorly for screen in 2007’s “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” failing to bear any resemblance to the character as originally conceived.

Initially, the character might resemble his iconic appearances in comics by creators such as Jack Kirby and Jonathan Hickman. However, compared to his comic-book self, his powers were noticeably scaled back, leading to a Marvel Cinematic Universe villain devoid of the destructive arsenal that makes him an infamous terror in Marvel Comics.

The movie titled Fantastic Four: First Steps hails from acclaimed director Matt Shakman, marking Marvel’s First Family’s debut in the MCU. In this film, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach portray the main team. Their mission: to confront the menacing Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his assistant, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).

What Was Wrong With Fantastic Four’s Galactus?

After a long wait, the movie Fantastic Four: First Steps has delivered a Galactus resembling the comic book character; yet, his powers have been noticeably diminished compared to the original portrayal.

In the film, the portrayal of the character is significantly less powerful compared to his comic book version, with several crucial abilities being omitted.

In the film “First Steps”, the character is said to possess and make use of a mystifying force known as the Power Cosmic, along with baby Franklin Richards exhibiting an incredibly potent energy. However, viewers do not have the opportunity to witness the on-screen depiction of this power being utilized by the character in the movie.

In the comic books, the character can resize, travel across galaxies via teleportation, and move at incredible speeds – superpowers typically associated with the role. Yet, the portrayal in the movie seems to omit these distinctive abilities from the iconic villain’s repertoire.

One significant turning point in the movie’s plot, overcoming the oppressive giant, is surprisingly built upon the absence of extraordinary powers.

As Galactus advances gradually through New York City, the Fantastic Four concoct a strategy to transport the antagonist far beyond our galaxy, achieving this by forcefully pushing him through one of Mr. Fantastic’s teleportation portals.

If the Galactus portrayed by Ralph Ineson possessed the same immense power as his comic book counterpart, then this last transport event would merely represent a minor hindrance in his cosmic devouring scheme.

In the comics, if Galactus had faced the same situation, he would have simply teleported himself across the universe to confront the Fantastic Four once more, making their transport strategy ineffective. However, due to a well-placed shove from Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer, Galactus was forced through an intergalactic portal, effectively ending his rule on Earth.

It’s possible that the film concealed his greater abilities to save them for future confrontations with the ominous star-jumping villain, but for now, he concludes “First Steps” appearing as an ordinary giant monster in a comical purple costume, reminiscent of Godzilla.

What Are Galactus’ Powers In Fantastic Four: First Steps?

In the film “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” it’s intriguing to ponder about the powers bestowed upon a toned-down Galactus. To put it simply, the answer is rather sparse.

The film portrays Galactus as a massive being with a colossal planet-devouring vessel, known as the Taa II. In this rendition, it’s the ship that performs the planet consumption and subsequently pumps the remains of each consumed planetary body through large tubes on its back, nourishing the antagonist.

This stands in stark contrast to the comics, as in these stories, Galactus is depicted consuming entire planets on his own, transforming entire solar systems into what seems like a universe-sized bowl of chocolatey cereal.

In the film, it appears that Galactus derives his power from the Cosmic Power, much like in the comic books. However, the movie doesn’t provide a clear demonstration of what exactly this cosmic energy represents for Galactus.

In addition to his movie roles, he possesses abilities such as transforming into a monstrous creature reminiscent of kaiju, immortality, superhuman strength, and durability far beyond that of a normal being. He also has a helmet-mounted visor capable of detecting the power levels of other beings, much like it revealed the immense power residing within Franklin, who was hidden inside Sue Storm’s womb on board the Taa II spacecraft.

In the movie, the primary ability showcased is a combination of telekinesis and biokinesis, which he utilizes to toss the Silver Surfer off his board and stimulate Sue Storm’s labor in an attempt to deliver their son, Franklin, before she can escape from his gigantic spaceship.

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2025-08-06 15:51